Ruggedized instrumented firefighter's self contained breathing apparatus

• US 7,057,582 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2002
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Information Decision Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Information Decision Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Bastian, Mark Stanley, Ebersole, John Franklin Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US10/213,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20030117342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 128/201.25, 250/330, 250/332, 250/339.04, 340/573.1, 340/584, 340/586, 345/7, 345/8, 345/156, 345/9, 345/157, 345/426, 356/445, 356/317, 356/620, 359/204, 348/744, 600/111, 703/1
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/04 Gas helmets
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/006 Indicators or warning devices, e.g. of low pressure, contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0198 System for aligning or maintaining alignment of an image in a predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features

Abstract

The invention disclosed instruments a firefighter'"'"'s SCBA with electronic and passive equipment, and protects this instrumentation from shock and undesirable environmental pollutant penetration. The invention provides for doing this through the use of a rugged cover on the equipment as well as soft equipment mounts. The cover provides the instrumentation with protection from impact as well as protection from contamination by environmental pollutants.

Claims

1. A ruggedized, instrumented firefighter'"'"'s Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for use in augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) applications, comprising:

a firefighter'"'"'s SCBA;

instrumentation carried by the SCBA, comprising a head mounted display (HMD) for displaying to the user an AR or VR image, tracking equipment that measures the position and orientation of the SCBA, and an image shifter; and

a covering device which protects said SCBA and said instnunentation from shock and environmental hazards.

2. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the HMD is a non-see-through HMD.

3. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the HMD is a see-through HMD.

4. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the instrumentation comprises an imaging video camera.

5. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 4 in which the camera is used to acquire an image of the real world in the user'"'"'s field of view.

6. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 5 in which the image shifter shifts the image acquired by the camera.

7. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 5 in which the instrumentation defines two optical paths that are used to produce a stereo simulation to the user.

8. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 7 wherein the instrumentation comprises two cameras and two prisms.

9. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the image shifter comprises a prism.

10. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the image shifter comprises a set of two mirrors.

11. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 10 in which the mirrors are made of glass.

12. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 10 in which the mirrors are made of metal.

13. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 10 in which the mirrors are made of plastic.

14. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the covering has a color scheme that indicates that the SCBA is to be used for training purposes.

15. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the covering has signage which indicates that the SCBA is to be used for training purposes.

16. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the instrumentation is connected via a cable to the instrumentation'"'"'s associated computer equipment at one location by a single connector.

17. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 16 in which the single connector has soldering posts for connections.

18. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA if claim 16 in which the single connector has screw down connections.

19. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 16 in which the single connector has quick-release connections.

20. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the covering device also provides protection against water, dirt, and contaminant penetration.

21. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which all wires and instrumentation are hidden from view by the cover and the SCBA.

22. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the image shifter comprises one mirror.

23. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 22 in which the mirror is made of glass.

24. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 22 in which the mirror is made of plastic.

25. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 22 in which the mirror is made of metal.

26. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 22 in which the image shifter further comprises an electronic means for reversing the image, to achieve the affect that two mirrors have, ensuring that the image is upright and not reversed.

27. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the covering device defines air holes to provide coolig of the components.

28. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 further comprising means to use the breathing action of the user to draw air over the electronic equipment to provide cooling of the components.

29. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 further comprising computer equipment which is used to perform processing of simulation data, but is not worn by the user, and a wireless system to provide an electronic connection for the equipment on the SCBA to the computer equipment.

30. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the tracking equipment comprises a microphone.

31. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the tracking equipment comprises a speaker.

32. The ruggedized firefighter'"'"'s SCBA of claim 1 in which the tracking equipment comprises an optical receiver.